


two sides of a coin

by brightsee



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Veronica Lodge, F/F, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:46:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11369067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightsee/pseuds/brightsee
Summary: Veronica struggles between her feelings for Archie and Betty, both unique and special in their own way. When it comes down to it, it's a question of her sexuality, an attraction to two sides of the same coin. Society asks her to choose, but why should she have to?





	two sides of a coin

**Author's Note:**

> damn it's been so long since i've written anything! happy belated pride month! this was really cathartic for me to write and i hope y'all really enjoy it.

**_“I see him and my heart races”_ **

What attracts her to Archie is that he’s nothing like the boys in New York. He’s not tainted by the money, the status of the elite, forced to be more than he is. He’s wholesome, like apple pie on the Fourth of July and Veronica cannot remember a time when she’s indulged in such a luxury.

When their eyes meet, across a roadside diner of all places, she can feel her heart kick it up a beat, her intrigue pulling her towards him. She’s always been brazen, introduced herself to suitors but none of them have left her with sweaty palms from just a goofy smile like Archie Andrews.   

**_“I see her and my heart breaks”_ **

And then she’s introduced to Betty Cooper, a gorgeous blonde with a brilliant smile and shining green eyes. If she thought Archie was apple pie on the Fourth of July, then Betty Cooper is chocolate chip cookies and a cold glass of milk, sweetness radiating from her being.

Veronica feels her heart, beating harshly against her ribs at the sight of Archie, shatter and still because of Betty. Here is this gorgeous girl, not quite a woman, who looks so pure with her pale pink tank top and high ponytail. A beauty to be held at arms’ length, not one to touch out of fear of staining her picture-esque image of girl next door.  

**_“I have kissed his lips and it felt like death and life all at once”_ **

She kisses Archie in a closet at Cheryls party, it’s a game she tells herself. Tries to hold herself back but the way he’s looking at her, whispering for only her to hear, she feels her will give in. All thoughts of how wrong this is supposed to feel are gone and she’s leaning in, her lips on his and it lights something within both of them.

Veronica deepens the kiss, pulls him in closer with a hand gripping the front of his shirt and the other in his hair. It feels right, it feels like she’s being brought back to life but death heavy on her tongue when she pulls back and realizes what she’s done. He has that stupid, goofy smile, a boy untouchable from any harm.

When they exit the closet, the taste of Archie still on her lips, Cheryl has a snappy comeback and Betty is gone.

**_“I have kissed her lips and it felt like sleeping and waking up all at once”_ **

Veronica kisses Betty in the spur of the moment, a challenge to Cheryl. But when she pulls Betty in, inches taller than her so she’s forced to tilt her head back, her lips are softer than she expects. It wasn’t planned and it feels like it has woken Veronica up again, set that fire alight within her, that has her pulling Betty closer for more.

Contrary to popular belief, this is her first kiss with another girl. It feels right though. First intentions are merely for show but Veronica finds herself wanting more, putting to rest questions she’s long since had about herself to rest. She pulls back from Betty, a small smile on her lips, and Betty just looks confused.

She wonders what this means, briefly for a second, before Cheryl is brushing the kiss off as if it was nothing and ruining the moment.

**_“I craved his skin and begged his body to collide with mine”_ **

She watches Archie date other girls and can’t help the jealousy forming in the pit of her stomach. They’re just friends, but the way he looks at her, laughs with her, reaches out for her, has her wanting and needing more. She craves his touch, to feel his hands on her skin, lips pressing and opening up against her own.

She pushes these feelings down, instead opting for the supporting friend and nothing more.

**_“I lusted after her every time those rosy lips spoke my name”_ **

Betty says her name and Veronica is pretty sure she’s gone to heaven. It’s everything to hear that voice, so sweet, eyes so innocent and lips so pink move around her name. Veronica doesn’t know what she’s done to deserve such a gift, but she cherishes it, holds it tight, and tries not to dirty the image.

She imagines that squeal of her name is distorted, turned into a moan from a gasping Betty as Veronica moves over her, hands sending pleasure through her body. She stares at Betty’s lips, hearing her name in all forms of emotion, lusting after more, wanting more from the blonde.

Instead, she settles hearing Betty say her name in all the platonic, completely friendly glory.

**_“When I lay beneath him it felt like heaven and hell and everything that I loved”_ **

Archie leads her into his room, hand steady on her back as he kisses his way down her neck. The party is raging in the background but she ignores the laughter and the music, settling her focus on Archie. She pulls back, smiles, sinking onto his bed and inviting him in. He’s greedy, pouncing onto the bed and laughter fills the room.

She looks up at him as he settles delicately on top of her, his breathing harsh. Veronica finds her hands roaming over his back, his shoulders, and down his chest towards his belt. She pauses, meets his dark eyes and takes a moment to breathe. An easiness that only comes from Archie fills her, feeling like heaven stealing herself from the nerves but also feeling hell with the heat of his gaze.

It’s everything she loves in this moment and gets lost in it, finally allows her guard to drop and to let this sweet as apple pie boy into her heart.

**_“When I lay beneath her there was so much desire and passion it set my lungs alight”_ **

Betty initiates it, begins tickling Veronica in a fight for the remote and somehow she’s rolled underneath the blonde, strands of hair tickling her cheeks. She pauses, staring up into green eyes, feels the weight of body pressing down against her hips, sinks further into the mattress. Everything stills between them and Veronica says fuck it, tilts her head up and kisses Betty.

Passion and desire are thick in her lungs, causes her to gasp and sends Betty kissing down her neck. She didn’t think this day would ever come, feels her hands move on their own accord, finally hear Betty gasping out her name. It’s different but it feels right, two pieces of a puzzle coming together, finally.

She knows she doesn’t deserve Betty, but she’s greedy, holds the blonde tightly as she deepens the kiss, again and again.

**_“People saw me with him and saw nothing but teenagers in love”_ **

She sees the way people look at them, Archie and Veronica, tucked quietly in the booth at Pop’s. A milkshakes sits between them, two straws, and she feels caught in a scene from the 50’s. Adults pass and she sees the looks on their face, softening and smiling, because they see two teenagers in love.

Veronica’s not quite sure what she feels for Archie, it’s not love but it’s something.

**_“People saw me with her and saw nothing but young sinners”_ **

She also sees the looks that people through her way when she’s with Betty. Veronica briefly wonders if they happen to know what they do in the privacy of her bedroom, do they know that Veronica can bring Betty screaming her name within minutes? Do they think of something more when they see the two holding hands?

The looks on their faces as they pass, eyes narrowing in on the fingers laced and swinging through the air, are often disgust, two sinners that need to beg for forgiveness. Betty doesn’t notice the looks but Veronica does, wants to bite back at them, pull Betty in close and kiss her senseless in front of them.

This thing with Betty is more than friendship but they’ve been hesitant to define it.  

**_“Are you straight?”_ **

**_I don’t know_ **

Archie walks in one day and catches Veronica with her hand up Betty’s skirt. He should have known that it wasn’t his day that she was spending time with Betty, but sometimes that innocent boy was too self absorbed. He sputters and bulks, face growing red. Betty mumbles something about getting home and is quick to run out the room, leaving Veronica kneeling on the bed staring up helplessly at Archie.

He sits down on the edge of the bed beside Veronica, not daring to look at her. His head is bent but she hears the words as clear as day. _“Betty?”_

Veronica shrugs, she loves the girl more than she can explain, more than Archie who is as sweet and wholesome as apple pie on the Fourth of July. He questions her sexuality and she doesn’t really know if she’s straight, she was attracted to Archie and the several boys that came before him, does that not make her straight?

She’s a mess of confusion and Archie leaves heartbroken with very few words for her, ending their relationship.

**_“Are you a lesbian?”_ **

**_I don’t know_ **

She tells Betty about Archie and her smile grows because now they can be together, maybe not in public yet, but there’s no other vying for Veronica’s attention and that puts Betty at ease. Veronica doesn’t know why she’s not at ease, feels Betty’s gaze weighing her down, the blonde biting her lip with questions bubbling to the surface.

Betty asks her if she’s gay and Veronica can’t answer her. While she’s obviously attracted Betty, she was still attracted to Archie. Betty knows this, has watched Veronica struggle over this countlessly for the past month. She answers Betty honestly, she doesn’t know. Because while she knows that she’s not straight and she’s not gay, she knows society needs her to choose a side.

Betty, sweetness rivaling chocolate chip cookies, pulls her in close and kisses the top of her head and tell her it doesn’t matter.

**_“Is that all I can be?”_ **

It does matter.

Veronica tries to pass off that she doesn’t need labels but everyone needs to belong somewhere, it’s human nature. She knows she’s not straight and she’s not gay, is that all she can be? Is there really no other option for her?

There is.

Veronica does her research because health class wasn’t enough, didn’t give her enough information, left her stranded in a heteronormative society without a life preserver of information. She learns that she doesn’t have to choose between one or the other, she loves Betty and she liked Archie, each a side of the coin that she’s both attracted to.

She plays the word over and over on her tongue.

Bisexual.

It feels right, it fits, and Veronica (finally) finds her place in this world.

**_-why should I have to choose?[(j.r.)](http://herxnstairs.tumblr.com/post/149345749921/i-see-him-and-my-heart-races-i-see-her-and-my) _ **


End file.
